15-year-old Harlem student Alexis Sumpter was knocked around, handcuffed, and detained by police officers because they thought she was too old to be using a student Metrocard.
Not having ID on her because she had been mugged, they called her a liar, grabbed her by the arms, and pushed her up the stairs.
The NYPD officers called her father, who confirmed her age, but still not believing her, called her mother, who ran over with Alexis' birth certificate. She was released, but had to go to the hospital because of swelling on her wrists from the handcuffs.
This isn't the first time this has happened. For example, a 21-year-old woman was detained by the NYPD for not having ID in Riverside Park.
Please tell the NYPD to change their ID policy and make sure this doesn't happen again!
Dear New York Police Department,
Recently a 15-year-old girl named Alexis Sumpter was roughed up, handcuffed, and detained because NYPD officers thought she was too old to be using a student Metrocard.
She didn't have ID on her because she had been mugged, so her mother was forced to bring over her birth certificate before officers would let her go. She then had to go to the hospital because the handcuffs made her wrists swell up.
Other folks have been detained and harassed by the NYPD for not having ID as well. Please change the ID policy and make sure this doesn't happen again.
Thank you for your time.
